Hearing the petition against e-commerce giants, Amazon and Flipkart, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) expressed dissatisfaction at the firms for not taking action against excessive use of plastics in packaging. The Green Panel underlined the fact that despite the regulations already in effect, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) can only come up with one or the other justification for not taking any meaningful measures in this regard.
The NGT has directed the CPCB to conduct the environmental audit and recover fine from e-commerce firms Amazon, Flipkart and some beverages firms for violation of environmental norms in handling plastic waste generated by them. The tribunal has asked to inform the action taken in the matter before October 14 by email. Earlier, the CPCB had told the green tribunal that the e-commerce giants need to fulfil their extended producer responsibility under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, and need to establish a system for collecting back the plastic waste generated due to the packaging of their products.
“Amazon Retail India Private Limited and Flipkart Private limited are involved in packaging and selling of other companies’ products and thus introducing plastic packaging in the market. They need to fulfil their extended producer responsibility under PWM Rules and should obtain registration as brand owner after submitting proper documents,” CPCB said in its affidavit. At this, the NGT had asked for a report from the pollution monitoring body derailing the steps taken by it to ensure implementation of the rules and penalties imposed for violations.
